Gerald croft (copy)

Gerald is guilty of …
Introduced as “The easy,well bred young man about-town”

Lust

incredibly self assured never had to question his social standing

“well bred” highlights the old fashioned edwardian social values -modern audience would associate it with dogs or horses

“Man about town” - going to town to find mistresses? foreshadowing

I dont come into this suicide business , act 2

dehumanisation , her suicide was a real event not some sort of business matter,Apathy , euphemises

use of the noun business - are capitalists soley focused on cooperate matters?

Sheila “He means im getting hysterical now”

Gerald - “Women ought to be protected against unpleasant and disturbing things “ - attempting to be a saviour

context ; “Hysteria” it was falsely perceived as a diagnosable disorder to silence women

colloquial reference portraying Gerald as misogynistic

patronising and laced with irony as he willingly exploited eva

I didn't install her there so that I could make love to her. I didnt ask for anything in return - act 2

“install” links back tothe noun “business” dehmanising her , using her

manipulates eva smith

euphemism “make love to her” he softens the blow of having an affair , does he have affection for her?

economcial language

the rhetoric of finance concerning his affair makes it seem like a transaction,reflecting the wider societal flaw at the time when relationships were synonymous with money

in a low troubled tone "She told me she'd been happier than she's ever been before- but she knew it couldn't last."

adjective “troubled” signifes he did feel happiness when he was with her and the death effected him

I insisted on Daisy moving into those rooms and I made her take some money to keep her going there.

verb insisted - did he demand? force?

capitalists are stubborn
Made - produce prepare , was gerald really sincere , something artificial about the relationship , did he simply just want sex from her

She didnt blame me at all i wish to god she had now - act 2

Facade , disingenuous nature , Gerald is prioritising his attempt to rid himself on the blame for evas death, he truly does not wish for the blame he claims to

Saviour or predator?

Audience may be led to question the validity of Gerald’s actions
He may of simply just wanted to help Eva’s “Cry for help” attempting to oppose himself as a hero

describes eva as “fresh” saviour/predator argument is sparked

the noun fresh connotes innocence and purity which gerald ultimately took advantage of and preyed upon his lustful and wrongful desires

SPared by the inspector “At least had some sort of affection for her (eva) and made her happy for a time”

Context: Priestley had affairs , interesting as adultery is written to be not the worst crime within the text

Audience respects the inspectors knowledge and are able to applaud gerald for his somewhat philanthropic behaviour towards the working class - socialist attitude is encouraged

“Everything’s alright now Sheila (Holds up the ring)WHat about this ring?”

exposing his remorse earlier as perfomative

Gerald conducts the play to focus on a cyclical structure , focusing back on his and sheilas engangement,reflective of his unwillingness to change

RIng-materialistic , no emotion or love to attached

any gilmmer of hope is shattered from the audience

(Slowly)That man wasn’t a police officer “

Slowly - allowing himself to gradually regain the power he once had and assert himself over everyone in the room

Gerald serves to bridge the gap between the younger and older generation

he is closer to sheila and eric in terms of age , his ideologies are more similair to the older generations

Priestley is displaying how the middle generation - which wouldve been most of the audience - must act and be progressive to change . allegory